Can-opener.



No. 66|,570. Patented Nov. I3, i900.

L. C. WITKWSKI.

C A N 0 P E N E B (Application filed Jan. 8, 1900.)

(No Mimet.) 2 sheets-sheet No. 661,570. Patented Nov. I3, |900. L. C.WITKWSKI.

CAN OPENER. (Application med un. a, moo.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(Nn Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

LOUIS C. WITKOWSKI, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661.570, dated November13, 1900.

Application filed January S, 1900. Serial No. 758. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, LoUIs C. WITKowsKI, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington,in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in can-openers, and has particularrelation to that construction of can-opener which is designed to beshipped with the can, so as to always be ready for use in opening thesame, and which will rest liatly upon the can during shipment and willnot be liable to puncture the can during such shipment or interfere withthe packing of one can upon another; and the invention consists ofcertain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, aswill be hereinafter described and specifically claimed.

The main object of my invention is the production of a pivoted cuttingpoint or knife which is either stamped out of or connected with themember which forms the operating member and which is adapted duringshipment to lie flatly or horizontally, but which when it is desired tocut out the end of a can can be turned at substantially a right angle tothe main body portion and by being forced through the tin and given arotary movement will cut out the end of the can, as will be hereinaftermore fully described.

Another object of my invention is the production of a can-opener whichcan be shipped {iatly or horizontally on top of a can Without requiringa depression to be formed in said top to receive said opener.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of acan-opener constructed in accordance with my invention and showing thesame in a Hat condition ready for shipment and provided with apenetrating pivotpoint. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same,showing the cutting-point turned to a position at right angles to themain body portion. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my improvedcan-opener, showing the same provided with a bayonet-shaped slot. Fig. 4is a perspective view of the same, showing the cutting-point in anoperative position.

during the cutting-out operation.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a can, showing my improvedcan-opener upon the same and ready for shipment. Fig. 6 is a Verticalsection through a portion of a can with my improved can-opener inposition upon the same as it would appear when cnttng ont the top of thesame. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form ot' canopener.Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the same, showing the pivotedcutting-point as it would appear when in a position to cut out the topof a can.

l in the drawings represents the body portion of my device, which, asseen in Fig. l, consists of a flat piece of thin sheet metal having itsside edges preferably turned over or rolled, as at 2, to reinforce orstrengthen the body portion along the said edges and to prevent the handof the operator being cnt The body portion is provided with a cuttingknife or point 3, which is adapted to lie flatly or hori- Zontallyduring transportation, but which when desired can be turned atapproximately a right angle to the said body portion, as shown in Fig.2, to cut out the top or end of a can. This feature of the pivotedcutter or knife is common to all of the constructions illustrated in thedrawings. In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 the pivoted knife or cutter is formedby stamping the same out of the material constituting the member or bodyportion in which said knife or cutter operates, and in Figs. 7 and S theknife is shown as being constructed separately from the member to whichit is attached, so that a cheaper grade of metal may be used for themain member or body portion, while the cutting point or knife may beconstructed of steel capable of cutting most any gage of tin used inpacking and shipping goods. Where the knife or cutting-point is formedintegral With the main body portion or member, it is preferably stampedout of the same, so as to have a space all around eX- cept'at twopoints, which form pivots 4 4, as shown, which permit of the knife orcuttingpoint being readily turned at approximately a right angle to thebody portion and at the same time be of sufficient rigidity to permitthe cutting-point to be used in cutting out the top or end of a can. Thecutting-point of my which Will'receive a depression or depressions S'35' improved can-opener has only to be bentor turned once to bring it toan operative ,position, which bending operation does not sufficien tlyWeaken the fiber of the metal to render it impracticable for thepuncturiug and cutting out operation; but, on the contrary, I have foundit to be exceedingly practicable. In Figs. land 2 I have shown one endof the device lprovided with a penetrating-point k5, which is bentl downslightly at an angle "fo the main body portion and which is designed Tobe forced through the top or end of a can, at or near the center of lthesame, when it is desired to cut out said end, and the cutter or.' knifehaving been turned at an angle to the main body portion, as shown inFig. 2, it is simply necessary to force the point 5 through theend ofthe can near its center and theV cutter or knife through the end of thecan, near its periphery, and, holding` the devicei` firmly, give it arotary motion, the ,point serving as a pivot, the end of the can willbei com pletely and rapidly cut out. By this construction andarrangement it is not necessary to provide a pivot-point or riveton topof the can, nor to provide a depression in the top of the can for thereception of the point of the knife during shipment, both of whichfeatures are very important, as the provision of a Ipivotpoint on thetop of a can adds to the cost of production, as a specially-constructedmachine has tobe employed to apply the eyelets or rivets, and a specialtin has to be employed at asuitable point for the reception of thefpoint of the knife, which will not be injured by forming such depressionor depressions in; the same. rIhe construction shown in Figs. 3 andLlfis similar to that shown in Figs. 13. and 2, with the exception thatinstead of em- 3, ploying a penetrating pivot-point 5 I employ abayonet-shaped slot 6, Which is designed to g engage a rivet orpivot-point l2 on the end or 2 top of a can, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.In this construction and arrangement the canopener is preferably appliedto the pivotl point on a can before being shipped, which l isaccomplished by inserting the device over l the head of the pivot bypassing the latter through the opening 7in the bayonet-shaped g slot,which is slightly larger than the head1 of the pivot, and then slidingthe device l along a slight distance until the Walls or edges of theslot engage the under side of the head of the pivot, in which conditionit is shipped vand is held in place without other securing means. `W'iththis construction when it is g desired to ct out the end or top of a canthe can-opener is drawn forwardly until the pivot on the can is engagedby the .opening 8 ofv the bayonet-shaped slot, which opening is jslightly smaller than the head of the pivot f and by which forwardmovement of the canopener the outer end l of said opener Will be Ebrought beyond the outer edge of the can 1 and serve as a handle to begrasped by the operator in cutting out the end of the can,

and the cutter `or knife 3 will be brought quite close to the edge ;of'the can. The feature of a lever-handle extending beyond the peripheryof the end of a can is common to the construction illustrated in Figs. land 2, the length of the canopener being such that it will duringshipment rest flatly on top of a can without extending beyond the edgeof .the same, but which when the pivot-point 5 is forced through thecenter ofthe top of a can and the cutting-point 3 is forced through theend of the can near its `periphery extends beyond the same, to begrasped by the operator in Athe cutting-out operation. A

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a slightly modified formof construction`in which the ypivoted knife Ior .cuttin g-poin t, as heretoforeexplained, is formed separately from the main body `portionof thedevice, and in this construction the pivoted knife is located at one endof the vmain body ,portion `instead of intermediate its ends, as inFigs. land 3.

From the foregoing description it Will be seen that I have Yproduced averysimple and cheap but effective can-.opener which can be shipped Withany style of can Without-requiring any auxiliary means for ,preventingthe cutting knife or point rpenetrating the tin during transportationand which when desired can be readily adjusted `to cut out `the end of aboxor can.

I have found that it isrnot desirable to form the top ofa can witha'depression to receive the cuttingpoint of a Acan-opener forthe reasonthat it involves expense to form such depression or depressions, and inworking in some kinds of :tin it yis impractical to'form such depressionrowing to breaking the fiber of the tin. I find, furthermore, thatcanners hesitate about adopting a vcan-opener which requires a specialconstruction of can in order to successfully use the said opener. Myinvention is designed to overcome these objections and to be used oncans of ordinary construction.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. As an improved article of manufacture, a can-opener consisting of abody portion provided with means for engaging the top or end ofa can andcarrying a ,pivoted knife or cutting-point, which knife rests flatly orhorizontally upon the top of a-can and parallel with the body portionduring transportation, but, which, When it is desired to cut out the endof the can, is turned at substantially a right angle to the main body'portion and forced through the tin and given .a rotary movement,substantially as described.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a can-opener consisting of abody portion provided with a puncturing point which serves as a pivotduring the cutting-.out operation, said body portion also carrying apivoted knife or cutter which, during transportation, lrests fiatly orhorizontally upon TOO IIO

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rests parallel with the body portion, but which, when it is desired tocut out the end of the can, can be turned at an angle to the bodyportion, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ax my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

LOUIS C. WI'IKOWSKI.

Witnesses:

ESTHER V. BYNG, EDGAR M. KITCHIN.

